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Age of Exploration, New Author Looking For Beta Readers

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AndrewF.

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Hello, I recently finished my first novel, Age of Exploration. I'm looking for some beta readers because i'm interested in what you think, both the good and the bad. Below is a summary of my book, I hope it interests you!

From beautiful island colonies to the carnage of war - an epic tale of empire versus rebellion and a young man thrust into battle.

Will Raynor joined the navy in the hopes of an escape from an ever-industrializing Britannica and its polluted skies.

The New World promises to satisfy his taste for adventure, but all is not what it seems. Swept into a decade's long conflict for control of Britannica’s newest island colony, Will's focus turns to his own survival as he quickly learns the rumors back home are true: the island is plagued with savages. The Orcs, ruthless warriors suppressed by Britannica, await a warlord to lead them.

Will and his crew are ambushed on his first mission. They are taken prisoner by a cunning Orc Warlord determined to liberate his people from Britannica’s iron-fisted empire. While escaping, Will falls in love with a local girl just as the island falls into chaos as Britannica’s armies are beaten back. Will is given the opportunity to flee for safety but elects to stay with her and stand shoulder to shoulder with his friends on the battle lines. Will witnesses his friends fall and the island burn around him as Britannica’s control over the island crumbles to the Warlord’s fury. Will is no war hero but he is utterly determined to survive. Through that determination he is destined to rise up and become the hero he never knew he could be.
 

Maryn

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Whoa, there, stranger. You're awfully quick to ask for a huge chunk of time without having given any of your own, when you ask for a beta read two days after joining.

Some people here retain their basic trust in the goodness of humanity. Time permitting, they will beta read for anyone who asks. This is wonderful, of course, and I like to imagine fine beta-for-beta arrangements stemming from their generous spirits.

But I'm not like that, and there are plenty of AWers like me, burned by authors seeking beta reads. We've become stingy with our time and distrustful of our newbies. We won't beta or even critique for people we haven't seen around AW for a while. Way too many of them are glad to take our help but never help anybody else.

I'm not saying you'd do that. I don't know you. And I guess that's the essence of my reluctance.

You'll find that you can get us to beta read if you do things which make you a part of the AW community rather than someone who's here only to take, with no plans to give.
  • Become a regular presence at your genre's board. Ask questions, or answer without being a know-it-all. Get reading suggestions. Share a few titles you really enjoyed. (They'll feel like they know and like you in a matter of weeks.)
  • Critique other people's writing at your genre's Share Your Work (SYW) board. (Those who are actively writing will feel like they owe you one. Don't know how to critique? Bullshit. You know how to read, right? What parts work for you? What doesn't? Why not? There, you're critiquing. I knew you could.)
  • Get active in the 'overview' board of whatever you write, whether it's novels, short stories, memoirs, or scripts. (A broader group will know you and like you.)
  • Join in on the activity at any of the non-writing boards, from politics to cooking or movies. (People will know and like you--but a different and far more diverse group than just your own genre's writers. I bet you're seeing a pattern here, huh? Being a person who's known and liked means people are happy to help you write your best. That includes me.)
  • After you've hit 50 posts, which will take no time if you get involved at multiple AW boards, post your first chapter at the appropriate SYW board. Make sure you read the sticky about how to format it, since AW doesn't support tabs and won't recognize your italics or font size.
  • Note the people who gave you the most useful (read: most painful) critiques which ID specific mistakes, flaws, and weaknesses.
  • Note the people who give the most useful critiques to other writers in your genre.
Now you'll be somebody we know and like, who's a part of the AW community, who's contributed his or her own time before asking for anyone else's, and you'll have a short list of people from whom you'd most like to receive feedback.

That's pretty likely to get you exactly what you want, just not immediately.

Maryn, getting off the soapbox to welcome you and show you where we stash the cookies
 

AndrewF.

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Thank you, i'll do just that. In the meantime is it alright if I keep this here in case someone does become interested?

Also did that summary interest you at all?

I'm really hoping I built an interesting world with some fun, detailed characters
 

Maryn

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Sure, Andrew. I encourage you to do exactly as you've proposed, leaving this request in place and getting involved in AW as an active writer-person. (I'm assuming you're human. Me? Manatee.) Remember, too, that sometimes when someone's first and only post at AW (which rules you out already) is a request for a beta read, they get one. Or more.

Interesting to me, personally? Somewhat, but it's not the sort of thing I routinely read for pleasure. But that's not meant to discourage you in the least, because lots of readers seek exactly this kind of concept.

Maryn, inviting you to Ray's House of Love, in Office Party, where we were once silly and busy, of late filled with shadows and echoes
 

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Thank you, i'll do just that. In the meantime is it alright if I keep this here in case someone does become interested?

Also did that summary interest you at all?

I'm really hoping I built an interesting world with some fun, detailed characters

Yes, definitely leave it up, and definitely stick around and get involved in the community!

The book doesn't sound like my cup of gin -- I personally dislike stories like Avatar in which the indigenous community needs a white male saviour to help them beat off the white colonials and their superior gun-power -- but I know such stories appeal to a different sector of readers, and you've done a very good job describing the storyline.
 

AndrewF.

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Yes, definitely leave it up, and definitely stick around and get involved in the community!

The book doesn't sound like my cup of gin -- I personally dislike stories like Avatar in which the indigenous community needs a white male saviour to help them beat off the white colonials and their superior gun-power -- but I know such stories appeal to a different sector of readers, and you've done a very good job describing the storyline.

Thanks but maybe I haven't done that good of a job at explaining the story line.... The indigenous community is beating and killing the colonials and Will is simply trying to survive, eventually he helps out the colonials in a big way to save the people he loves.
 

Tod Moran

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Kinda aggravating isn't it, how easily a good summary is misread because of preconceptions. Had the same experience 2-3 times.

FYI, here is your error, " Will is given the opportunity to flee for safety but elects to stay with her and stand shoulder to shoulder with his friends on the battle lines." The 1st reaction is to ASSUME that friends refers to the girl's friends. The reaction you got above, assuming the white male is to there to save the abused primitives
icon9.png
. You know what you mean but the reader doesn't. You have to be more explicit.

BTW, do you really want to use "Orcs?" Is that deliberate? If so, I think (MY opinion
icon7.png
) that's a crutch. Make up your own, creatures, don't copy others.
 
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mccardey

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Kinda aggravating isn't it, how easily a good summary is misread because of preconceptions.
Another reason why it's a good idea to join the community, make some friends, engage, give a little, get known before asking for a beta.
 

autumnleaf

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One thing you'll need to clarify is the genre. When I saw "Age of Exploration" and "The New World" I assumed it was Historical Fiction set in the, um, Age of Exploration (15th to 18th centuries). But then you mention "Orcs" and it seems more like Fantasy (although personally I would try to think up a more original name for fantasy creatures). Or maybe it's a Historical Fantasy (set in a fantasy version of our own world, like On Stranger Tides or Temeraire).

Either way, AW has boards specifically for Historical Writing and Science Fiction/Fantasy, frequented by very friendly and enthusiastic people.
 
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